HOWEVER! Japan Centre is great, and if you can visit the store I recommend you do (it's in Piccadilly) but sadly their online store has no similar stock at the moment. The stock does vary from time to time, so it's worth checking, or even emailling them to ask about their Daiso range. It's cheap, cheerful stuff that has served me well, especially considering the price.

http://www.japanesekitchen.co.uk/bentobox.html seems to be the only other main UK stockist I can find, but sadly they only do a couple of large lacquer boxes and an array of disposable trays - not the best. It may be worth sending them a query, but I can't vouch for their service as I'm a Japan Centre devotee, I'm afraid. ;)

Looking at eBay, it seems that there are a few lower priced bentos, largely from Hong Kong, some Hello Kitty. A great deal will be pricier due to the import costs, of course.

Of course, if you're just getting into bento, I highly recommend browsing local shops, and buying some very basic storage containers. It really isn't the box, it's what you you put in it that counts...even though a really beautiful box can add a special touch, and is a nice thing to have. :) Try Lakeland or somewhere similar for some lock and lock-type boxes.

I would really be interested if any other UK folk have any other recommendations as I fancy a new bento box soon, along the lines of my Daiso one, and if Japan Centre don't start selling them online again I will be somewhat stumped too!

Try also www.artbox.co.uk. (Search for lunch boxes). They have some cute bento boxes. The stores are located in Covent Garden, Camden and Top Shop in Oxford St. Also try MUJI, the stores are located everywhere in London. They have a big store in Oxford St.

I've just ordered a couple of boxes from www.tokyojazzpanda.co.uk . Not a big selection but it's a start and free shipping if you spend over£20. I've bought some accesories like picks and cups from TK MAXX and Lakeland. I've also used a lot of my cake decorating tools to get the cutie butterflies, stars, and what not. So it might be worth a shot looking in your local cake decorating store. Hobby craft and The Range are quite good as well for cutters and punches for nori. If anyone else knows of anything or anywhere else to get boxes in the UK I'd love to hear!

Just so you know, Muji basically has just two or three, very plain and functional bento boxes in their stores. So they aren't really for fans of cute boxes. They are nice though...(but still plastic, which to me is a bit disappointing)

It's great, really love it and it wasn't bank breakingly expensive either. My version is a 1.2l and cost £8.95 might seem huge, but I don't fill it to the top. The top tier also sits inside the lid so, it can be height restrictive. There's also a 1.6l version available, but I felt this was just too big!http://www.muji.eu/pages/online.asp?V=1&Sec=2&Sub=11&PID=3203

I don't know if you're still checking replies to this thread, but I went to Whole Foods last week (in Kensington, London) and found some GREAT square lunchboxes with cute characters on which work a dream for bento-style lunches - they also sell bundles of small containers which fit very easily inside the boxes and make for a great "mini-laptop-lunchbox" style effect!